My thoughts are divided this morning as we wake to Referendum day in Scotland. Bishop Nigel
is grateful for our prayers. News reports reflect on the experience of
countries like Czech lands and Slovakia which was once known by most of us as Czechoslovakia. Taiwan itself was once a Japanese colony, and Japan had hopes of
incorporating it during the Second World War, but of course it became a refuge
for Chiang Kai-shek after the Civil War which
saw the rise of communist rule and the rebirth of a small rural region into a
modern state. Yesterday we were honored with the presence of the President of the Republic of China [officially, Taiwan is Republic of China], Ma Ying-jeou, who spoke of his government’s five point goal: to become a
nation of reconciliation, peace, education, economic vitality and a preserver
and promoter of Chinese culture. He noted how the United States of America,
from 1950 through to 1965, had been a great source of economic aid, but from
that time Taiwan has aimed to transform itself “from being a recipient of
compassion to becoming a giver of compassion.” He claimed that often they are
the first responders to other nations when natural disasters strike their area,
citing the more recent earthquake in Japan and the typhoon in the Philippines.
It gave a helpful perspective of the role of the Taiwan Diocese in such global
matters. Citizens of Taiwan have sponsored more than 350,000 children in
poverty around the world, which, for their size as a nation, is more than one
percent of the population and probably the largest per capita supporter of
children in poverty.
Bishop David Lei acknowledged the travel weariness of his guests as he welcomed us. I am writing
thirteen hours ahead of you all in Iowa, and so when I come to look for emails
at 2pm, I forget that you are now all asleep. Bishop Lei also thanked us for
being willing to mark their 60th anniversary as a Diocese by our
presence. Sixty years has special significance in Chinese philosophy of time.
It is a particularly important cycle in anyone’s life and in the life of a
community. He shared how he had made this same trip to thirty of our meetings
as Bishop!
So far we have sought to take in our rather sumptuous surroundings in the Grand Hotel (built, I am told, by Madame Chiang Kai-ahek), prayed together at the opening Eucharist, and checked in with our table companions. (Bishops are in table groups between General Conventions. You receive new companions after every General Convention, stay together for three years, and go through General Convention together. After three years of sharing life and ministry, there builds up a level of trust, which assists decision-making conversation at Convention.)
 | |
| The Grand Hotel |
So far we have sought to take in our rather sumptuous surroundings in the Grand Hotel (built, I am told, by Madame Chiang Kai-ahek), prayed together at the opening Eucharist, and checked in with our table companions. (Bishops are in table groups between General Conventions. You receive new companions after every General Convention, stay together for three years, and go through General Convention together. After three years of sharing life and ministry, there builds up a level of trust, which assists decision-making conversation at Convention.)
 |
| The Grand Hotel |
The theme of this time together is “Expanding our Apostolic
Imaginations.” Today we visit various ministry field sites. I am going to the
Episcopal-founded St John’s University and to the Advent Church
where I will also worship on Sunday. Of course, our wonderful companion
dioceses are already expanding our apostolic imaginations, and we can be
excused for our wonderings to cast themselves further west and north—to our
friends in Diocese of Brechin, the people of Scotland, and the rest of the
present United Kingdom.
